Robert Griffin III is losing his VIP privileges within the Washington Redskins organization, which is an indication that his status as the favored child is dissipating.
First-year Redskins head coach Jay Gruden has been critical of RG3 and said during the week that the quarterback has been too coddled. Both ESPN and NFL Network report that Gruden is prepared to bench Griffin if the quarterback does not perform well. Recall that the decision to start Griffin coming off injury rather than sticking with Colt McCoy reportedly came from the higher-ups in the organization.
Though team owner Dan Snyder is said to love RG3, he reportedly backed Gruden last week. The team also reportedly has pulled some of Griffin’s VIP privileges.
Here’s what NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday:
“The landscape has changed for RGIII in Washington,” Rapoport said. “Let me give you an example. In the past, he had certain rules, things he was allowed to do that others were not. Like, his wife was allowed places in training camp. Other players’ wives were not. His family basically had an all-access pass. None of that is the case now. It is now simply based on performance, which brings me to the starting quarterback position. I’m told by several sources, Jay Gruden does have the ability to bench RGIII if necessary, if he simply does not play well enough, and I am told it is not out of the question.”
My my my how things have changed. RG3 reportedly used to brag to teammates about his influence over Snyder. Now it looks like Snyder’s degrees of favoritism are performance-based, and RG3 is not performing.
When you add everything up, it makes you wonder whether the team still views Griffin as their franchise QB.
H/T DC Sports Bog
